Editorial: Swimming in Dillon Reservoir?

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Recent from Denver Water that the agency is OK with human contact with water in Dillon reservoir has everyone wondering whether we'll soon see people doing the backstroke in Heaton Bay.

Not so fast, we say. Even in mid-summer, Dillon Reservoir is a cold, dark and deep alpine lake that's not very forgiving. Sudden storms can whip up, dropping the air temperature 20 degrees in minutes, while wild winds and unpredictable currents make Dillon a real challenge for sailors. Imagine, then, what those conditions would mean for a little kid caught in a sudden tempest. Baby steps seems the way to go, which is, thankfully, exactly what's taking place on the board of the Dillon Reservoir Recreation Area Committee. Some things have already been thrown out, such as water skiing and jet skis. There's no doubt such uses would drastically alter the character of our mostly peaceful reservoir. Special uses, such as a swimming leg to a triathlon, make a lot more sense. Perhaps some test cases will help clarify the viability of swimming in Dillon Reservoir, but ultimately we're looking at what the sheriff has to say, since it's his office that'll be in charge of policing such activity, rescuing those in trouble and, god forbid, recovering the bodies of those who weren't up to the extreme conditions in the reservoir.